Private Finished Artificial But Real?

Neon and Symlink looked equally surprised, but the former simply began exhaling what looked like a mist, which then started taking the image of one of the first computers behind him, however... Static. "A computer or computing device was a machine used to make calculations, but then evolved to encompass new features, such as the ability to process messages, print results, etcetera. But this behind me? This is what it used to look like at first. Data there was inserted and printed as a sequence of holes punched into a card.", Neon started to explain and soon... Got carried.

In a combination of both show and tell, he detailed both the evolution of computer and how "analog" data eventually became "digital", how gone were the punched cards and welcome were the SD disks, the "mist" seeping from his mouth would evolve, showing computers getting more compact, the lights and printed messages dissolving into the smallest 0s and 1s before seemingly fading out of existence. As his presentation drew to an end...

"Some theorized that inside computers there was another world. One where programs were tiny tiny people, exchanging files and carrying them. I can't back the claim... But I was revived in the digital world as a yokai, and my son was born in there as both data and yokai."

Symlink seemed stunned by the surge of knowledge, that long explanation caused him to simply stay there, staring at Neon. Once he blinked his eyes, he simply said "That was a lot."

"Wait, neither of you understood it?!", Neon's look of shock was kinda exaggerated, his jaw agape, ears and tail perked up. "I understood towards the end, that's all.", Symlink responded in honesty and Neon's ears, tail and head plopped down in defeat. The fox boy gave a little thought and said "Ah! I can show you my data!", shortly before focusing and turning his hand green and translucent, causing it to glow faintly and pixelate.

"Heavily condensed, yeah.", Neon's mood perked up again. "Dad can't see, but this place is like a sea of data.", Symlink brought his hand up a little, and there seemed to be an invisible current moving the particles of data that was his hand.

"Yep, like a mist.", Symlink confirmed, becoming more and more of the pixelated particles before silently snapping his fingers and becoming solid again. That last question evoke two different expressions: Symlink seemed eager to talk about it, but Neon looked a little sad and afraid. "It's like there is a thin blue fog around me all the time. And a bit like being a ghost and not at the same time."

Neon didn't respond to the question, and Symlink took a while to decide on what to say, even then... "I... Guess?", he wasn't certain at all, "I was born at the start of this year... I still haven't figured much.". A nostalgic sigh overcame Neon, and he responded "When I was stuck in the digital world... The Shrine Song was the only thing keeping me sane after I was contained. Unlike my son, I wasn't this free, nor can go back in there."